The provincial health-care system ensures eligible B.C. residents have access to services.

The Vancouver Canucks’ health-care system ensures the NHL club could remain in Western Conference playoff contention with the services of sensational rookie Elias Pettersson. Even when their overall offence looked to be ailing and too many players were ailing with prolonged scoring slumps.

After Pettersson missed five games with a mild MCL (medial collateral ligament) sprain of his right knee, the Calder Trophy front-runner cited conditioning and timing as obstacles he would have to overcome as the Canucks returned to healthy roster status Sunday afternoon against the Detroit Red Wings.

And just when it looked like Pettersson might need more than a few shifts to find his rhythm — he had trouble finding pucks in his skates and getting his feet under him — the centre did what he has done all season. His deft deflection in the slot of a Brock Boeser point at 10:16 of the first period to open scoring proved that his hand-eye co-ordination are as good as anyone in the league.

Here’s what we learned as Bo Horvat ended an 11-game goal drought in the third period to draw the Canucks even at 2-2 before Antoine Roussel deflected a Jake Virtanen shot as the Canucks eked out a 3-2 win:

Pettersson zones in on complete game

Pick a zone. Any zone.

The one endearing aspect of Pettersson’s game is a dedication to being diligent in all three zones. It was on full display after the Canucks got off to a sluggish start and were trailing 6-0 on the shot clock.

Pettersson got into position in the high slot and the deflection of Boeser’s shot for his 23rd goal of the season seemed to be a sign that his game was intact.

“First I thought (Troy) Stecher was going to put the puck behind the net and then I saw Boeser getting the puck and thought I better get to the net,” said Pettersson, who had three shots and seven attempts. “He made a good shot and it was an easy tip-in.”

Further evidence came later in the opening period when Pettersson was falling to the ice in the offensive zone but still managed to feather a flip pass to Josh Leivo to keep the play alive. In the second period, Pettersson was foiled on a wraparound attempt. He then attempted a toe-drag at the offensive blueline that was turned over, but bolted all the way back into his own zone to deny Gustav Nyquist from making a pass. He then did a two-pad stack to keep Andreas Athanasiou from scoring off the rebound.

“A little bit off,” added Pettersson, who had a pair of uncharacteristic give-aways. “I felt I lost the puck a few times and made some bad decisions and bad turnovers. I’ve got to play it simple and learn when it’s not going as well as I want it. Just play it simple. It was mostly that I lost the puck a few times and it led to turnovers. I’ve just got to get better.”

There was even some rust when Pettersson shot.

He hesitated for a moment on a second-period power-play shot from his sweet spot. He then had two more man-advantage chances on the same shift. He put a slapper into the pads of Jonathan Bernier and then a wrist into his crest instead of the top corner.

However, Pettersson then executed a perfect slap-pass to Horvat at the far post on a third-period power play.

What will upset Pettersson more than the offensive chance is being on the ice for the first two Detroit goals, including the failure to get the puck out of the zone on the Thomas Vanek goal.

Markstrom keeps cool

The Canucks were nursing a 1-0 lead in the second period and outshot 15-3 at one point in the frame when Justin Abdelkader went hard to the net and got his stick under the mask of Jacob Markstrom.

It seemed like an accidental-on-purpose foray by the agitating winger because the starter’s mask went flying and he had every right to be agitated — especially with no penalty on the play. It also came at the end of a sequence when it looked like it was going to take something special to get a puck past Markstrom.

He made a trio of saves during a first-period power play off Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin and Mike Green before the Canucks would manage their first shot at 7:21 off the stick of Brandon Sutter.

A perfectly placed Frans Nielsen shot to the stick off a cross-ice feed and a Vanek re-direct at side of the net in the second period put the onus on Markstrom, who went into Sunday with just three regulation losses in his previous 15 starts in which he sported a 2.11 goals-against average and .926 saves percentage, to be the difference.

Horvat ends scoring slump

Two plays in the third period looked like Horvat wouldn’t have to talk about his scoring slump hitting a dozen games.

There was that Pettersson feed at side of the net on the power play and then a bull rush to break in for a chance that went over the net. Then the Canucks loaded up a line with Horvat with Pettersson and Boeser and the centre managed to spin in the faceoff circle and sweep home his 18th goal.

“Funny how it works,” said Horvat, who had six shots and won 61 per cent of his draws. “You get all these Grade A chances that should have gone in and that one goes in. Definitely happy to get that one for sure.”

NEXT GAME

Wednesday

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Vancouver Canucks

7:30 p.m., Rogers Arena, SNP, SNET 650 AM

• White Towel Podcast: Paul Chapman and Ed Willes find out where the Canucks really stand in the NHL’s Western Conference, give an update on the roster, and talk about the standing and stature of Florida Panthers’ netminder Roberto Luongo:

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